I am always reticent to overly criticise goalkeepers, mostly because the analysis of them comes with such conviction from those who have not played in the specialised role, even if they are ex-professionals.
Goalkeeping is its own artform, with its own demands. You are a distant figure at times, almost forgettable in dominant teams spending large periods of a game without much bother. But the scrutiny in those short bursts of activity can define a result, and the scrutiny is ever harsher.
Nowadays it seems like the analysis of goalkeeping has gone up an extra notch with the introduction of advanced analytics, whilst also the microscopic detail we take to analyse shots from distance. Romeo Lavia's equaliser for Southampton was a perfect example. Struck with venom at the edge of the box, good placement, great speed and bodies in the way. Edouard Mendy got a palm to it, but the power took it in.
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12 months ago, little would have been said on that goal probably, more just in appreciation for Lavia – which to be fair – has been reflected in discussion outside of the Chelsea bubble. But given Mendy's recent form, the horrendous error on the ball at Elland Road that gifted Brendan Aaronson an opening goal, he is under a harsher spotlight. One that his understudy Kepa Arrizabalaga felt in the bleak 2019/20 campaign where the numbers were unedifying.
Kepa's save percentage of 54 per cent in that season was the worst in Europe's top five leagues, from those numbers, almost half of the shots the Spaniard faced were going in. Particularly ones from long range, his height was cited as a major disadvantage that opponents were capitalising on. That critique was only intensified by his £71m price tag from Athletic Bilbao which made him the most expensive keeper in the world.
The glaringly obvious errors for Kepa did not start happening till the beginning of the following season when it was clear all semblance of confidence had evaporated, coupled with the pursuit of Mendy, who would instantly take his spot.
For Chelsea, the comfort the Senegalese international offered in his first year with the club appeared to resolve what had been a problematic area. Mendy's aerial dominance formed the base of defensive improvement, and his shot stopping and great reflexes were also a trademark of an impressive opening year.
The Champions League victory propelled Mendy's status even higher, being crowned the best goalkeeper of 2021 by FIFA. Now those lofty days feel like a long time ago, with calls steadily getting louder for Thomas Tuchel to drop the 30-year-old.
"First, we deal with the players and then we tell you how we dealt with it." Tuchel said after the victory against West Ham. "It's [goalkeeper] like I say, a very sensitive position in football in general. And not everything is about pure quality and decision making, it's also about the feel, that you feel the confidence.
"Sometimes it's also having luck as well. Somebody sent me an interesting quote about Napoleon, who asked his generals that they should not only have the best quality but also that they are lucky generals. This is also what you need from leaders and goalkeepers, and that they have a kind of momentum in which if they make a little mistake it's not punished.
"He at the moment gets punished a lot for not a lot that he does wrong. But there are no doubts in my mind, the situation is calm, we have two fantastic goalkeepers, two fantastic guys. We are aware of it that he is in that kind of situation but first, we deal inside."
There are variables within this situation that do help the theory Mendy is not exactly being aided by those in front of him. Via The Analyst, Chelsea are conceding a high xG (Expected Goals) in open play. Allowing 41 so far, conceding five with an xG or 6.20. That places the Blues below mid-table, with Manchester United, Liverpool, Spurs, Brighton, Arsenal and Manchester City all conceding less.
Mendy has already faced 27 shots, the seventh most in the league so far, more than Mark Travers of Bournemouth. Although Mendy has made errors in judgement and could have stopped more shots, it is also fair to conclude that Chelsea's overall defensive structure is vulnerable, and is exposing the keeper to more shots than usual given Tuchel's usually resolute backline.
It is easy to forget how brilliant Mendy was in the opening months of last season when he was outperforming his expected numbers. Making a flurry of stunning stops, most obvious in the late onslaught away at Brentford.
There are elements beyond data that also come into play. The confidence of Mendy expectedly looks weaker than it did in 2021, he is no longer commanding his box at set pieces, an area Chelsea have already conceded four of their nine goals so far. His hesitation in the collision with Jarrod Bowen which sparked VAR controversy looked like a keeper being controlled by a situation rather that the opposite way around.
Again, in that case, Reece James' decision to head the ball back into dangerous territory reflects a wider lapse in judgement you cannot solely pin on Mendy, but it only continued to flame the growing doubts about his current form and ability to retain a place over Arrizabalaga.
The justification for bringing Kepa back in seems to relate to good professionalism rather than him being an objectively better option than Mendy. Kepa's reputation has been strengthened by not playing, coming on in cameos in cup ties and being the hero (or villain) in penalty shootouts. His run within the side during Mendy's time at AFCON in January was serviceable, but not a long enough sample size to suggest the flaws of the past have been eradicated.
Top keepers do go through bad spells, Allison at Liverpool notably struggled during the opening months of 2021 when Liverpool's previously infallible defence seemed to crumble. Allison who had been so commanding in big moments suddenly looked wrecked with nerves, on the ball and also in general decision-making. Jurgen Klopp maintained trust in his number one and Allison repaid that faith.
It is hard to argue against doubts about Mendy, he is not performing to his best, but given the specialised nature of his role, the 'sensitive' choice that Tuchel appreciates and Kepa's previous history, the solution is not an easy one.
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